The present invention relates generally to medication dispensers. More particularly, the present invention relates to reusable medication dispensers for dispensing medications having a relatively xe2x80x9cflatxe2x80x9d dosage form.
xe2x80x9cChild-proofxe2x80x9d medicine containers are a standard method for dispensing prescription drugs. The popularity of such containers is due, of course, to the difficulty that opening such containers presents to children. Ironically, these containers also pose difficulties for groups of people who are most likely to require the medicine that is stored therein. In particular, the aged, the handicapped, stroke victims, arthritis sufferers, individuals that have tremors and those recovering from accidents, surgery or serious disease conditions, among other individuals, may have trouble opening such child-proof medicine containers.
In response to this problem, specialized medication dispensers have been developed. Medication dispensers typically include one or more chambers for storing medicine(s) and various mechanisms for dispensing the medication. In some cases, the dispensers include motors so that when a user pushes a button, a pill is dispensed (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,198). Some medicine dispensers include electronics that warn a user when it is time to take a pill, some restrict the dispensing of medication to certain prescribed times, and others automatically control delivery of multiple medications (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,752,620, 4,310,103, and 5,752,621).
Most medication dispensers are designed to dispense small solid dosage forms such as tablets or capsules. If the final dosage form of a medication deviates from those common forms, dispensing may be problematic or impossible via standard dispensers. With the advent of new dosage forms, new types of medication dispensers are required.
A dispenser for dispensing medications having a flat or xe2x80x9cstamp-likexe2x80x9d final dosage form is disclosed. In some embodiments, a dispenser in accordance with the present teachings includes a housing for retaining a plurality of stacked individual pharmaceutical dosages. Within the housing and beneath the dosages is a bias element, such as a helical spring, that urges the dosages towards a dispensing end of the housing. The housing also includes a dosage delivery port that receives the pharmaceutical dosages one at a time from the interior of the housing.
In other embodiments, a dispenser in accordance with the present teachings includes a cylindrical main body for retaining a plurality of stamp-like dosages that are collectively organized in a roll. A dosage delivery port depending from the cylindrical main body receives dosages one at a time therefrom.
The dispensing operation for both stacked and rolled dosages can be carried out manually, manually with mechanical assist, or automatically via appropriate actuating mechanisms. In further embodiments, the present dispenser includes electronics that (1) alert a user of a scheduled dosage, and/or (2) dispense a dosage at a prescribed time or at a prescribed time interval, and/or (3) maintain a dosage record.